Temescal Gateway Park to Reopen July 17, 2026, Marking Major Milestone in Palisades Fire Recovery

Temescal Gateway Park to Reopen July 17, 2026, Marking Major Milestone in Palisades Fire Recovery

PACIFIC PALISADES, CA (July 13, 2026) - Eighteen months after the devastating Palisades Fire, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (Conservancy) and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) announced today that Temescal Gateway Park will reopen to the public at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, July 17, 2026, marking a major milestone in the recovery of one of Pacific Palisades' most treasured public landscapes.

The reopening follows 18 months of fire suppression, storm recovery, emergency operations, regional logistics, and park restoration that have transformed Temescal Gateway Park from the front lines of one of Southern California's most destructive wildfires back into a place for outdoor recreation and renewal.

Visitors can hike the rebuilt Rivas Trail to two scenic overlooks or continue to Will Rogers State Historic Park. The Sunset Trail is open, providing access to Temescal Ridge Trail and Topanga State Park. Park users can also enjoy the Sycamore Grove and Rubell Picnic Areas.

The popular Temescal Canyon Trail to the waterfall will remain closed until further notice because fire damage created unsafe trail conditions.

When the Palisades Fire threatened Temescal Gateway Park, the MRCA Fire Division mounted an extraordinary defense that prevented the park from being destroyed. Those efforts also enabled the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) to establish one of the region's principal wildfire recovery operations within the park.

For months, the park served as the ACOE's central command site supporting debris removal from thousands of fire-damaged homes and vehicles throughout Pacific Palisades. After that mission concluded, the ACOE restored its operational footprint, allowing MRCA staff and partner organizations to complete the park's restoration.

"Temescal Gateway Park has long been a place where people come to experience the beauty of the Santa Monica Mountains," said Miguel Luna, Chair of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. "Reopening this park reflects the resilience of both our natural landscapes and the many public agencies, nonprofit organizations, volunteers, and community partners who worked tirelessly to make this day possible. We are proud to welcome visitors back while continuing our commitment to restoring this remarkable landscape for future generations."

MRCA staff worked alongside the California Conservation Corps, the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, the workforce and economic development organization Managed Career Solutions, the Sierra Club, the Los Angeles Fire Department's Camp 13 hand crew, Palisades Resilient, California State Parks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other state and local agencies to restore trails, repair visitor facilities, remove hazardous trees, and prepare the park for safe public access.

Numerous fire-damaged trees throughout the park and along its trails-including several beloved mature oak trees-had to be removed to protect public safety. Although visitors will continue to see evidence of the fire, they will also witness the landscape's remarkable natural recovery. Habitat restoration and reforestation efforts will continue as additional funding becomes available.

Visitors are encouraged to stay on designated open trails, observe all posted closure signs, and remain aware that restoration work will continue in selected areas.

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is a State Agency established by the Legislature in 1980. Since that time, it has helped preserve more than 85,000 acres of parkland in both wilderness and urban settings. The Conservancy's mission is to strategically buy back, preserve, protect, restore, and enhance treasured pieces of Southern California to form an interlinking system of urban, rural, and river parks, open space, trails, and wildlife habitat that are easily accessible to the general public.

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) is a local government public entity dedicated to the preservation and management of open space and parkland, watershed lands, trails, coastal access, and wildlife habitat. The MRCA works in cooperation with other government partners to acquire parkland, participate in vital planning processes, provide natural resources and scientific expertise, and complete major park improvement projects. The MRCA manages and provides ranger services and fire protection for more than 85,000 acres of parkland that it owns and that are owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. It is one of the lead agencies providing for the revitalization of the Los Angeles River.